Idyllic, Convenient Living in That Place Called BGC

Bonifacio Global City—more commonly known as BGC, The Fort, or Fort Bonifacio—is indeed a city unto itself. A bustling mixed-use development teeming with glass-curtain-walled office skyscrapers, high-end condo towers, malls and shopping complexes, and parks and greeneries, BGC is indeed one of the most highly sought-after addresses in Metro Manila.

But BGC was a totally different place 25 years ago. Once a military base owned by the Philippine Army, it was privatized via the government’s Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), which along with Ayala Land and Evergreen Holdings, co-owns Bonifacio Land Development Corp.—the company in charge of BGC’s master-planning. And master-planned it is.

Bonifacio Global City is not just a typical mixed-use development. It is often described as a self-contained mini-city where residents have everything within a short distance away on foot—whether it’s a public park, a restaurant, a museum, a mall, a hospital, and even a school. According to Ayala Land, one of the real estate companies in charge of BGC’s development, the pedestrian is the focus of BGC, as can be seen in its masterplan. BGC’s grid network is tighter and makes navigation easy, so it is also easy for pedestrians to get from point A to point B. Indeed, it is not unusual to see residents of the development to make a leisurely stroll from a condo in Forbes Town Center in the BGC’s western section to shop or have lunch in Bonifacio High Street, the development’s commercial heart.

Mini-cities within a city

Contrary to popular belief, BGC is not a single township. It is in fact composed of several smaller developments built by some of the country’s most well-known developers.

Forbes Town Center is a 5-hectare township of Megaworld Corp. located in the western section of BGC bordering the Manila Golf and Country Club. Here one will find numerous shops and restaurants close to the popular Burgos Circle, in addition to several of Megaworld’s high-profile condo developments, namely, Bellagio I, Bellagio II, and Bellagio III, Forbeswood Heights, 8 Forbes Town Road, and Forbeswood Parklane. A typical fully furnished one-bedroom condo apartment for rent in Bellagio III, for instance, is listed for Php55,000 per month, while a two-bedroom, 92-sqm condo for rent n Bellagio I is listed for Php110,000.

Uptown Bonifacio, on the other hand, is a 15.4-hectare community also by Megaworld located in the northern fringes of BGC close to Kalayaan Avenue. This mixed-use township is home to office towers and skyscrapers and upscale condos (including the 25-story Alliance Global Tower), and the whole development is anchored by the 85,000-sqm Uptown Mall. Three of the upcoming condo developments here include Uptown Ritz, One Uptown Residence, and Uptown Parksuites.

GT Capital Holdings subsidiary Federal Land also has a significant presence in BGC, most notably through its Grand Central Park township, which is home to the Grand Hyatt Hotel and Grand Hyatt Manila Residences, in addition to high-end condo developments, including Madison Park West and Central Park West.

Meanwhile, BGC’s central core is dominated by Ayala Land developments. Over at High Street South Block are Alveo Land’s One and Two Maridien and Verve One and Two, four upcoming upscale condo towers that will shape BGC’s skyline over the next few years. Between McKinley Parkway and 11th Avenue are One Serendra and Two Serendra, two multi-tower condo developments by Ayala Land Premier and Alveo Land, respectively. The former is composed of five mid-rise towers (Jasmine, Mahogany, Bamboo, Narra, and Palm) and two high-rise towers (East and West), while a typical two-bedroom condo apartment for rent here is listed for Php180,000 per month. Slightly more affordable, Two Serendra is composed of four high-rise towers (Red Oak, Meranti, Aston, and Sequoia) and five mid-rise towers (Almond, Belize, Callery, Dolce, and Encino). A typical three-bathroom condo apartment for rent in Two Serendra is currently on offer for Php175,000 per month. This particular unit also comes with one parking slot.

Other upcoming BGC condo developments by Ayala Land include West Gallery Place, East Gallery Place, and The Suites, all of which are very high-end condo towers expected to change BGC’s skyline in the years to come.

Other condo developments in BGC

Aside from these projects, BGC is also home to a wide array of standalone condo high-rises scattered across the development. One of which is the two-tower, BERDE-and LEED-certified Arya Residences. This upscale condo, situated at BGC’s idyllic southern section, is the first project of ArthaLand Corp. (a sister company of Century Tuna Canning Corporation) and one of the country’s first truly green condo developments. An unfurnished two-bedroom, 130-sqm condo apartment for rent here is currently listed for Php160,000 per month, while a fully furnished, one-bedroom condo for rent is listed for Php80,000 per month.

Two of the very first condo developments in BGC, Essensa Private Residences and Pacific Plaza Towers are also some of the most upscale condos in Taguig. The former is a two-tower project of Century Properties and is notable for being home to high-profile residents and celebrities. A low-density development, a typical three-bedroom apartment here measures 290 sqm, one of which is currently listed for rent for Php220,000 per month. Similarly low dense, Pacific Plaza Towers, on the other hand, boasts only two units per floor, and a typical three-bedroom condo unit for rent (303 sqm) is currently listed for Php210,000 per month.

BGC Facts

The average rent of a one-bedroom condo unit in BGC is Php47,750 per month, according to Hoppler’s 2017 data.

BGC is home to several international schools, most notably the International School Manila, the British School Manila, and the Manila Japanese School.

BGC boasts some of Metro Manila’s most upscale malls and shopping complexes, including Bonifacio High Street, SM Aura Premier, Uptown Mall, and The Shops at Serendra.

There are now a number of high-end hotels in BGC, including Shangri-La at The Fort, Grand Hyatt Manila, Seda Hotel, and F1 Hotel.